As a sign of the prosperous farm economy, Farm Credit Services of America announced Monday that customer-owners in 17 west-central Nebraska counties will receive a total of $4.15 million this month in cash back dividends.

These checks represent the areas’ share of a total $130 million cash-back dividends distributed by FCSAmerica.

The checks go to customers in Lincoln, Arthur, McPherson, Logan, Hooker, Thomas, Cherry, Red Willow, Frontier, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock, Dundy, Chase, Grant, Perkins and Keith counties in Nebraska, served by the North Platte, McCook and Imperial offices, the company said in the announcement.

The more loan business a customer has with the cooperative, the more their share of the dividend.

It is one of the largest cash-back dividends in FCA America history to customer-owners, vice president Mitchell Korf said.

Since 2004, FCS America has given nearly $700 million in cash-back dividends. During the nine years, FCS America’s capital (members’ equity) has more than doubled -- from $1.5 billion to $3.2 billion. Net income has grown from $294 million to $481 million, the company said.